Most registered direct offerings are sold with warrants attached as a sweetner like SPPI's - SPPI was a PIPE and so is MNTA. the P in pipe refers to the PRIVATE nature in which it's marketed NOT to whether or not its registered or isn't. And yes if MNTA did an unregistered offering it would have come at a steeper discount. I think MNTA did pretty well sellign the offering above its major moving averages. I honestly think they got some real "investors" to take it down, and it is VERY positive long term.
Deals like SPPI did generally go to momentum funds and funds that flip or were net short into major spikes. Considering MNTA hasn't had a pump phase yet it's IMO a major coup that they got it out @ $10.75 without any sweetners (warrants)